Albert Yuma Mulimbi

Albert Yuma Mulimbi (born July 30, 1955) is a Congolese businessman, economist and former chairman at the state-owned mining company Gecamines.[1][2][3] An International Labour Organization dignitary,[4] he is the chairman of the Congolese Employers Federation, Democratic Republic of the Congo's biggest business lobby group.

Albert Yuma Mulimbi
Yuma in 2013
Born (1955-07-30) July 30, 1955
Tanganyika Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Alma materUCLouvain
Occupations

In late April 2019, Jeune Afrique reported that Yuma was recommended by former DRC President Joseph Kabila, whose coalition controls the majority in the Parliament, to the incumbent President Félix Tshisekedi as a potential Prime Minister.[5] His candidacy was rejected in favour of Sylvestre Ilunga.

In December 2021, Albert Yuma was ousted from the presidency of Gécamines.[6][7]

Early life

Yuma was born on July 30, 1955, in Kongolo, Tanganyika province.[8][9] Having spent much of his childhood in Belgium, he later earned a Master of Applied Economics from the University of Louvain (UCLouvain).[9][10]

Career

Yuma joined UTEXAFRICA, a textile and real estate development company now known as TEXAF, in 1983.[9][11] He serves as its co-managing director[8] and is also a major shareholder, where he derives most of his wealth.[8]

Since late 2010, he has served as the chairman of Congo's parastatal mining enterprise Gécamines.[9][11][12] Under his leadership, he attempted to grow the company in spite of its international competitors.[13] For example, he spearheaded a lawsuit in the International Court of Arbitration against Freeport-McMoRan after Freeport sold its 80% stake in the Tenke Fungurume mine to China Molybdenum, as it had failed to warn Gécamines, which owns 20% of the mine.[13] As of September 2016, he planned to cut costs by reducing the workforce.[14]

Yuma is the chairman of Texico, the manufacturer of police and army uniforms in the DRC, and deputy chairman of Texafrica, the manufacturer of uniforms for infrastructure workers.[10] Additionally, he is the co-owner of Afritex, a wrapper factory in Kinshasa.[8] In 2015, after he had failed to purchase the Orgaman Group from the Damseaux family because their asking price was too high, Yuma also invested in food production.[8] He also serves on the board of directors of the Central Bank of the Congo.[8]

In addition, Yuma serves as the chairman of the Congolese Employers Federation (FEC),[10][11] and as the Vice-President of the International Organisation of Employers.[9] Since 2012, he has also served as the chairman of the Permanent Conference of African and French-Speaking Consular Chambers (CPCCAF), an organization of francophone African chambers of commerce.[8][11][15] Additionally, he serves on the board of directors of the Belgian-Congolese-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce,[16] and the council of the International Labour Organization.[9]

Yuma has been alleged to siphon money from Gécamines toward supporters of Joseph Kabila. In 2018 the US State Department revoked Yuma's visa for corruption.[17] He has been accused of diverting up to $8.8 billion of revenue from Congo's mining industry[17]

In December 2021, Albert Yuma was ousted from the presidency of Gécamines.[6][7]

Awards

References
  1. "Gecamines vows to pursue dispute against Freeport" Financial Times November 1, 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017
  2. "Gecamines woos Chinese investors for Congo mining projects" Financial Times November 23, 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017
  3. "Congo's Gecamines Shelves Sale of Stake in Glencore Copper Mine" The Wall Street Journal June 2, 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2017
  4. "Jim Armitage: The boss of the DRC’s state-owned mining operation remains defiant despite uncomfortable questions over its controversial asset sales" The Independent April 19, 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2017
  5. Bujakera Tshiamala, Stanis (April 23, 2019). RDC : Joseph Kabila renonce à imposer Albert Yuma à la primature (in French). Jeune Afrique.
  6. Jeune Afrique (December 4, 2021). "DRC: Albert Yuma ousted from the presidency of Gécamines". www.jeuneafrique.com.
  7. Lipton, Eric; Searcey, Dionne (December 4, 2021). "Congo Ousts Mining Leader in a Cloud of Corruption Claims". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  8. Le Bec, Christophe (May 31, 2015). "Portrait : Albert Yuma Mulimbi, l'hyperactif". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  9. "Board of Directors". TEXAF. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  10. Meunier, Marianne (May 12, 2010). "Albert Yuma Mulimbi, le patron des patrons". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  11. Manciaux, Cécile (June 11, 2012). "RDC : Albert Yuma Mulimbi, le sauveteur de la Gécamines". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  12. Meyer, Jean-Michel (December 16, 2011). "Albert Yuma Mulimbi : " La Gécamines redeviendra un opérateur minier indépendant "". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  13. Sanderson, Henry (November 1, 2016). "Gecamines vows to pursue dispute against Freeport". Financial Times. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  14. "Albert Yuma Mulimbi : " À la Gécamines, nous avons fait du très bon travail "". Jeune Afrique. September 12, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  15. "Une gouvernance adaptée à un réseau multiculturel". CPCAF. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  16. "MEMBRES DU CONSEIL D'ADMINISTRATION DE LA CCBCL". Chambre de Commerce Belgo-Congolaise-Luxembourgeoise. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  17. Searcey, Dionne; Lipton, Eric; Gilbertson, Ashley (November 29, 2021). "Hunt for the 'Blood Diamond of Batteries' Impedes Green Energy Push". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
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